A.J. Pierzynski comments on return to Chicago White Sox
By Brian Spaen
The Texas Rangers started a weekend series against the Chicago White Sox on Friday night, marking the first time A.J. Pierzynski has played against his former team from southside Chicago since leaving after the 2012 season.
Pierzynski made his debut with the White Sox in 2005, which was the same season the team won their first World Series championship since 1917. As expected, that was his favorite memory.
"[“O]bviously winning a the World Series is no. 1,” he said. “No one can ever take that away from that group of guys. It was a very special group of guys that came together, got along and did some special things in a city that hadn’t seen that in almost 100 years. Those guys from that team are friends of mine for life. They are still some of my best friends on earth.”"
The catcher had a .257 batting average with 18 home runs and 56 runs batted in. He played in 128 games that year, tying the lowest amount he played in a season since reaching 130 games with the Minnesota Twins in 2002.
In Pierzynski’s 15-year career, he’s played for four different teams. The Twins and White Sox are his longest stints so far (six with MIN, eight with CHW). He spent his 2004 season with the San Francisco Giants, and has spent just this season with the Texas Rangers.
He left the White Sox after reaching 27 home runs in 2012, the most he’s hit in one season. This year, Pierzynski has a .279 batting average with 14 home runs and 52 runs batted in.